In Hindi and Urdu, the literary meaning the words ‘pasand’ or ‘pasanda’ mean ‘like’ or ‘liked’ or ‘to like’ depending upon the verb it is used with. Pasanda means that the dish is to everyone’s liking and coz` of the creamy texture the, everyone will love the same
Ingredients
| Chicken | 500 gms |
| Onion | 2 nos |
| Yoghurt | 70 gms |
| Salt | to taste |
| Cashewnuts and Almonds | 60 gms |
| Coriander powder | 2 tsp |
| Turmeric powder | ½ tsp |
| Chilly powder | ¼ tsp |
| Kashmiri chilly Powder | 1 tsp |
| Green chilly Slit into Half | 2nos |
| GG Paste | 3 Tbsp |
| Oil | 2tbsp |
| Butter | 10 gms |
| Cumin seeds | ½ tsp |
| Kasoori Methi Powder | ½ tsp |
| Cardamom | 3nos |
| Bay leaves | 2nos |
| Cinnamon stick | 1 no |
| Cloves | 3 nos |
| Water | 180 |
| Shan Masala | ½ tsp |
| Coriander Leaves | A Bunch |
Method
- Grind together Cashewnuts and almonds Keep covered in a refrigerator.
- Take the chicken Tangdis, wash, rinse and pat dry, make gashes marinate with salt, pepper.
- Take a pan add oil and Butter, allow cumin seeds to splutter, then add whole garam masala, sauté for one minute, add onions and start sautéing .
- At this point when the onions are golden brown in color, add whipped curd, then add the ground cashew and almond paste. Mix well.
- Then continue cooking by adding condiment powders like turmeric, coriander powder and Kashmiri chilly powder, Kasoori methi and Shaan Masala. Sauté till the oil rises to the sides and top.
- Now add Chicken slices or the Chicken escalopes [as these pieces are called], and pour little water and allow to cook. Blend with cream and place cashew and almond slivers on top of the dish.
- The taste and the aroma incipiates into the dish after the freshly ground pepper corn and coriander seeds are sautéed, in ghee ad poured into the dish. Close the dish, the coriander leaves are used as garnish while serving.
Note: normally they use breast pieces or supreme of chicken for this dish. But I prefer to take leg pieces, as the supreme of chicken is stringy
like. [ fibery ]
Chef Nandakumar Menon or ‘Chef Nandu as he is known evolved into the Super Chef series. He was at the CASINO HOTEL in Kochi and later at the remarkable COCONUT LAGOON in Kumarakom. Both iconic Hotels and restaurants of repute for the quality and consistency of food offered at their restaurants. Coconut Lagoon where Chef Nandu headed the kitchen moulded him to cater to international clientele from all over the world coming in to experience the magic of the backwaters of Kerala and Kerala itself as a unique destination.
From his early Catering Technology days at Adayar, Chennai and training at the famed TAJ MAHAL INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, Mumbai, Chef Nandu was back again at the Welcome Group’s ADAYAR PARK INN, Chennai.
Later he headed the setting up of the various F&B outlets of the ABAD PLAZA group, Kochi as its Corporate Chef.
And then with the Quilon Beach hotels, Chef Nandu created a redefined art of culinary expertise. His clientele were Doctors, Cashew businessmen and of course celebrities from the tinsel world, the cloyed connoisseurs had a different feel with his nouvelle cuisine.
He still loves to cook and share his valuable experience of the world of food with The Daily Brunch and its readers in our series on SUPER CHEFS.
Cheers!
